New bus ads draw the ire of gun rights advocates

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SEATTLE -- New ads asking you to think twice about gun ownership are showing up on Metro buses, and some people say the ads violate everyone's Second Amendment rights.

Local buses are full of ads for everything from necklaces to web search engines. But a new ad campaign from Washington Cease Fire has stirred controversy.

"When you have a gun in the home, you are 22 times more likely to kill a family member or a friend than you are an intruder," said Ralph Fascitelli of Washington Cease Fire.

Whatever the statistics, Second Amendment advocates aren't happy with the ads.

"They can't really talk people out of exercising a constitutionally protected civil right. And people do have the right to defend themselves and their families in their homes," said Dave Workman of the Second Amendment Foundation.

Washington Cease Fire purchased 50 ads in King County and 50 in Snohomish County, and Fascitelli hopes they convince people to do away with their guns.

"There's this concept that if you don't have a gun in your home, your home is unprotected," he said. "Well, get a baseball bat or a knife if you are really concerned about that."

Ceasefire spent $50,000 on the bus signs, but Workman's not so sure the campaign will work.

"There are over a million gun owners in this state, 353,000 plus people have active concealed weapons permits, so I'm not sure a campaign like this is going to accomplish much," he said.

Either way, Fascitelli said if the signs convince just one percent of gun owners to get weapons out of their homes, it will save 6-10 lives a year.

"We're trying to raise awareness and start a conversation that's going to lead to a safer society here in Washington State," he said.